Rock Creek, Toad&Co., Outside and Get Out Magazine are set to co-host a huge celebration in downtown Chattanooga this Friday to celebrate the city’s being chosen “Best Town Ever” by Outside Magazine for the second time in five years.
The celebration kicks off at 6:00 p.m. Friday, September 25, and runs until 9:45 p.m. at Miller Plaza and surrounding streets. Free to the public, this event will be modeled after the Nightfall road closure, including two blocks of Market and two blocks of M. L. King which will be closed to motor vehicle traffic at 5:30 p.m. Miller Park will also be used as a special “kids zone.” Over 5,000 people have already RSVP’d on the event’s Facebook page.
Hosted by Rock/Creek and produced by Chattanooga Presents, the event will feature three diverse local bands beginning at 6:00 at Miller Plaza with Motown set by The CreativeUnderground, followed at 7:20 by the funk/jazz band Smooth Dialects, and concluding with a performance by Chattanooga indie rockers SharkWeek from 8:40-9:40pm.
“Rock/Creek is excited to celebrate Chattanooga’s second designation as ‘Best Town Ever’ with what is quickly evolving into the best party ever! We’ll have a variety of activities for the entire family, local food, awesome local bands and some of our nonprofit partners that help make this the best place in the world to play outdoors.”
A variety of local exhibits and vendors representing Chattanooga’s outdoor scene as well as non-profits, land trusts and arts groups will be set up in the streets. Attendees are encouraged to ride their bicycles to Best Town Ever, with valet bike parking being offered at M. L. King and Broad by Outdoor Chattanooga and Bike Walk Chattanooga.
Other special features will include slack lining demonstrations between the light towers at Miller Plaza by Edward Yates, as well as options for the public to try introductory slack lining, juggling, hands-on art activities, a photo booth and even an opportunity for kids to roll around on the Miller Park pond inside a giant, clear plastic bubble! A professional stunt bike demonstration by On the Edge will also be showcased in the street.
Local food trucks will be on site as well as beverages from local suppliers such as Big River and Chattanooga Brewing Company, DeBarge Winery, Tennessee Stillhouse and Sugarlands Distilling Company.
Presenting sponsors for the “Best Town Ever” celebration are Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, Rock/Creek Outfitters, EPB Fiber Optics, Get Out Magazine, with support from Chattanooga Times Free Press, Toad&Co, Outside, Sugarlands Distilling Co., DeBarge Winery, Lost Art Stationery, and Thompson Engineering.
Chattanooga beat out 63 other nominated towns to proudly claim Outside magazine’s prestigious 2015 Best Town Ever award. In order to be a contender in this bracket tournament, towns needed to have: great access to trails and public lands and thriving restaurants and neighborhoods. Chattanooga is the first city to win it for the second time (having initially won the Best Town Ever competition in 2011). This was the first year Chattanooga was allowed back into the contest for the top award. RootsRated has created a site with some of their reasons why Chattanooga is an outdoor enthusiasts’ dream, with helpful information about where to go and what to do in Chattanooga.
As the newest Best Town Ever winner, Chattanooga appears on the cover and has a feature article in the September 2015 issue of Outside magazine.
